New Era | Ferrari looks to the future of electric vehicles with a solar-powered factory

Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari on Friday inaugurated a new solar-powered factory at the group’s historic plant in Maranello, where the long-awaited fully electric car is to be produced from 2026.

The 42,500 square meter factory, located north of Ferrari’s current campus, will produce the group’s legendary combustion engine cars, as well as hybrids and the company’s first electric vehicle.

Called an “e-building,” the 25-meter-tall rectangular factory will be partially powered by more than 3,000 solar panels installed on its roof, producing 1.3 megawatts at peak.

The goal is for the building to be completely powered by renewable energy – both internally and externally – by the end of the year.

Ferrari said in a statement that high-voltage batteries, electric motors and axles will also be produced there.

However, the most exciting thing will be the production of Ferrari’s new electric sports car, the design of which is being kept secret before its premiere in 2025.

“It’s not going to look like you might expect,” Ferrari president John Elkann said on a podcast Wednesday, providing few details but noting that the lack of a normal engine means more space.

In a podcast, Norges Bank Investment Management said he has already taken it for a test drive.

“It’s amazing… in every way. If you enjoy driving, the thrill and excitement you will experience in this car is simply unique,” ​​he said.

What about the traditional Ferrari roar? “It will have sound,” he said.

Putting production of all models under one roof will allow Ferrari “to reorganize and more efficiently transfer all production activities between its existing facilities in Maranello, increasing its ability to quickly adapt to production needs,” he said.

The group launched its first hybrid model in 2013 and now has four. The goal is for fully electric and hybrid models to account for 60% of production by 2026 and 80% by 2030.